Sharing My Birthday with Quinn

Today was a very special day. It was my birthday AND Quinn's birthday. Quinn was one whole big year old. I was...........not! haha!
Quinn is becoming more and more special to me by the day. I headed out to the park today with carrots, apples and what I call 'brunch'. It's really just the regular horse and pony mix you buy from the store but because I usually get out there sometime between breakfast and lunch I call it brunch.
So I had this all mixed up today and put it into two buckets. One for Levi and one for Quinn.
Quinn loves his bucket meals!!

 

I call this photo "The Hairy Bucket"!

Today I was on my own with the two ponies and it was a bit tricky trying to keep Levi at his own bucket. He's a jealous wee boy and whatever Quinn has, he wants. So I found myself continually swapping buckets just to try to keep Levi's head in one of them long enough for both of them to eat! Not too successful but I managed the best I could. It was a bit like spinning plates, only with buckets full of carrots, apples and brunch! Eventually Quinn got a chance to have a munch.

Grooming is becoming part of the routine every time and I can honestly say that Quinn enjoys this part of bonding. He has a beautiful mane and tail and today really showed off just how lovely his mane is growing. I only used the brush on it but next time I'm going to slowly comb through it as well. His tail needs combing through too but I'll just do little bits at a time. I'm also trying to start getting him used to having his feet lifted and so far that's going good. A little hesitation with the back feet but I am SO proud of his progress so far. He's becoming a real gentleman and a pleasure to work with.

How's that for a one year old mane! I'm impressed anyway!

On the rope today I had him walk a little further than usual. He doesn't pull back now. Sometimes he'll just stop and stand still but I just bend down a little and say, "Come Quinn", until he starts moving again and then when he catches up with me I give him a stroke or a scratch under his neck which he loves, and then we're on our merry way again. I am amazed at how quickly he has got used to me and the rope.

One thing I did notice today is that he wants to be with me more and more. Before if I moved away from him he wouldn't necessarily follow but today when I was leaving the field he walked all the way down to the gate with me, and this was the sad face I had to leave behind.

I felt so guilty leaving him!!

So I'll end today with the rest of the photos I took of our shared birthday. I hope we have many more to come. Quinn has been good for me in so many ways and I know the bond between us is growing all the time. 

Tomorrow a new little guy arrives and I'll share a photo of him next time, but this will always be Quinn's special blog and it's here that all the news and photos of him will be shared for whoever wants to keep up with Quinn, the Shetland pony!

Until next time, care for those who need it most.

Kate x

As Long As It Has Pockets!

Hello again!
Thanks to everyone who comments about this blog or talks to me about it when I meet you out and about. It's very encouraging and I'm so glad you find it 'lightsome'.
Quinn is doing great. I absolutely adore him and soon I will be trying to click on his rope lead. It will just be a quick click on and off to begin with and if there's no adverse reaction he will get a nice little treat which I will have ready hidden in my pocket!
Talking of pockets, can I just veer away from Quinn for this particular post and tell you a couple of funny things I found out about my horsey jackets!
Now, anyone who knows me well will be aware that I'm neither proud nor fashion conscious. I like to be comfortable and try to keep colours matching but that's about it. As far as jackets go, I like to wear a size larger than I need as I have very broad shoulders and have, on occasions found the odd man's jacket in a charity shop for wearing out and about. (Sorry, that sounded like it may have been worn by an 'odd man'!! That wasn't meant lol!)
Well, I have two main jackets I wear to go and work with the sheep and ponies and I want to tell you about them.
This is the first one........

As you can see I've personalized it with some bright red buttons, a lapel button and and a coordinating pocket.. Now for the story of this fab jacket!
Probably more than a year ago my sister bought me this when we were doing the charity shop rounds. I saw it and tried it on and she said, "That's it, you've got to have it. I'll buy it for you." It was £5.
The jacket wasn't worn right away as I believe we were (funnily enough) having a good spell of weather and it's an excellent quality blazer which is just too warm and heavy to wear on warmer days.
The other day my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to take a look at the maker's label again because I had a feeling this is no ordinary every day jacket that I could normally afford.
This is the label and the jacket was new when bought.....

So in my new found curiosity about this jacket I'd had hanging up in the wardrobe for probably a year or more I 'Googled' "John Magee Ireland 1866".
I found their site. A bright up to date site with beautiful quality clothing at http://www.magee1866.com/
Although a different colour to the one I own, I found the identical style men's' tweed jacket. I nearly fell off the chair when I saw the price. Although in euros I Googled the equivelant in GBP and found that my £5 was actually worth today £332.26!!
It pays to do a charity shop hop!!!

My other jacket is one which could probably be best described as a boring mousey brown waffle type piece. I don't particularly like it (it need a bit of my jazzing up I think!!!) but I liked it even less when one day hubby (who hasn't really got a way with words!! Understatement lol) told me I was beginning to look like an old wife down the road!!! Now please, if anyone reading this knows an elderly lady down the road from me who wears a similar type jacket, he was NOT being personal about anybody. he meant this in a general way. I didn't take it too well mind you, and I set out on a mission to try to get my own back on his dismissive comments about my jacket. Again, it was a charity shop buy, £2.50 if I remember correctly and the maker's label didn't look really all that much.
This is the jacket and a close up of the maker's name.

So I duly looks up Ted Lapidus on Google and this is what I find.
It may be a long read but trust me, it's worth it!!


Edmond "Ted" Lapidus (23 June 1929 – 29 December 2008) was a French fashion designer. He was born in Paris^[1] the son of a Russian-Jewish Émigré tailor.^[2]
Lapidus was considered the creator and pioneer of the unisex fashion look^[2] and is credited with introducing a military and safari look into haute couture.^[1] He is credited as the first designer to put Military style Shoulder straps on both male and female clothing,^[1] and with making blue jeans part of the mainstream of fashion design.^[1]
After an apprenticeship with Dior, Lapidus started his own fashion label in 1951,^[3] and gained prominence in the 1960s when French celebrities such as Brigitte Bardot, Françoise Hardy and Alain Delon started wearing his creations.^[2] Lapidus proved influential outside France, too, and was the first designer to persuade Twiggy to wear a suit and tie rather than a mini-skirt. John Lennon was another admirer and in 1969 he asked Lapidus to design a white leather bag to house a set of fourteen lithographs he had made. Known as "Bag One", the limited edition of 300 bags incorporated zips, handles and a lock, as well as Lennon's signature in black, and was hand-stitched in Italy and later autographed by the Beatle. Lapidus also designed the white suit that John Lennon wore on the cover of The Beatles’ Abbey Road album.^{[citation needed]} He was admitted to the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture parisienne in 1963.^[3] He designed the safari suit, a style of men's suit that was popular in Australia in the 1970s.^[4] In the late 1970s the Lapidus label started to produce fashion accessories as the haute couture market declined. In 1989 Ted Lapidus's son Oliver Lapidus took over the Lapidus label. Lapidus sponsored the French Automobiles Gonfaronnaises Sportives Formula One auto racing team in 1990 via the Ted Lapidus product name.^[5] In 2000 the Lapidus label ceased producing haute couture and is now primarily known for its fashion accessories of watches and fragrances.^[3]
Lapidus died in Cannes, aged 79, from pulmonary complications brought on by leukaemia. He is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.^[6]
French President Nicolas Sarkozy paid tribute and said Lapidus had "democratised French elegance and classicism" and "made fashion accessible to men and women in the street."^[3] Sarkozy's statement called him "the poet of French couture".

So you see, never pre-judge what someone is wearing!
It doesn't matter if someone's style seems a little quirky or a bit too plain. And it's not worth thinking about why a certain person wears a certain colour, whether we feel it suits them or not. It's what WE feel comfortable in, what we can afford and what's right at the time.
Fashion comes and goes.
Be interested in personality!!

Hope you enjoyed this post.
Kate

Getting To Know You......Getting To Know All About You

Hi again everyone, thank you so much for all the positive feedback I'm receiving about Quinn's blog. It's so encouraging and I love writing so much that to me it's a complete pleasure! Of course, writing about any of my animals is just the best!

In this post I just want to share what I've observed about Quinn and Levi so far. Please bear in mind that I've only had them two or three weeks, but already I'm noticing differences between these two little half-brothers.
I'll take Levi first.
Levi is very small for a young standard Shetland pony but what he lacks in size he makes up for in feistiness! Oh boy! This little fellow takes NO prisoners! Even today, he was supposed to be eating out of his own feed bowl but he very nonchalantly trots up to Quinn's bowl and just starts chomping away! When Quinn showed his disgust at the actions of the little colt, Levi kicked out and with his feet up and his head down all I saw was some plastic shrapnel flying over the ground. One broken bowl and one unfazed Levi, he just went back to his own bowl and started eating again. He's quite a character.
However, more importantly, the biggest difference I've noticed is in their eyes and in the way they will have to be taught things. Levi's eyes are sharp and intelligent. They sparkle and they are full of knowledge. Already this little guy knows a thing or two and if I don't give him a mission in life he will become easily bored and I would imagine just keep on getting up to mischief!
I have no doubt he will be a quick learner, mainly because of a low boredom threshold and a genuine need to be kept physically and mentally active.
I am certain he will not suffer fools gladly and would lose interest in people very quickly if they didn't understand how to help a pony reach it's full potential.
I think I have a bit of an equine conundrum on my hands!!! LOL
Or perhaps a phenomenon!!
Watch this space!
Here's a little photo just to remind you what this intelligent little fellow looks like.

Sorry, this photo was taken on a very wet day.

And now for Quinn. His eyes tell me that once he has tamed a bit he will be more laid back than Levi. Quinn's eyes can become very 'dreamy' when I'm grooming him and talking to him, but at the same time he is very aware of what's going on around him. Although he's the bigger of the two and is more the perfect height for a young standard Shetland pony, I have a feeling it is the little one who will 'wear the trousers', as it were.

Quinn I believe will make a great training pony for small children to learn on and it is my intention to get them calmed down enough to be able to attend the Shetland Equestrian Centre with them so they can be properly trained to do this. Although that's a few years down the line I will continue to develop Quinn's soft side and help him to become exactly who he needs to be, just as I'll do with Levi.

I have to say I adore Quinn. He stole my heart totally by surprise and even though I love Levi too, Quinn and I seem to have a bond that I believe will see us through life's ups and downs.

If I had to sum up my two gorgeous ponies in a couple of lines I would say this:

Quinn is a clever little dude.

Levi is a sharp little cookie.

Both have qualities and personalities that make me smile, laugh and often just leave me speechless. From my very first encounter with a Shetland pony (not a good one) to now being able to say "I love these little guys", I guess it's a case of us all giving each other a chance to grow, learn and love in ways we maybe never thought possible or probable.

Thank God that in life we are so often given second chances to overcome our fears and learn new ways to trust.

Animals can teach us humans so much!

Now a photo of my darling Quinn to finish off this post.

Please feel free to leave comments below.

It's great to hear from you!

Until next time, take care and continue to appreciate your pets!

Kate

Quinn Comes Home With the Ram.........and a Pal.

I finished my last post with the question of how on earth I was going to tell my hubby Bob that I'd just bought a Shetland pony. He should be used to me by now! I am forever 'surprising' him with little bits of information, e.g., "I've just got a field and I'm going to keep sheep on it"! That started with four sheep, ended up with eight and also six Soay sheep! I don't mean to shock him, but I'm not one of these people who can sit around all day and watch the wallpaper fade. I also LOVE being around animals and seem to need my daily fix of the smell of sheep's wool! I know, it's sad, but please don't ever find a cure!
So, I've bought Quinn and I've bought my handsome ram, Arno, and I'm making plans to get them transported to my ten acre field Bob knew nothing about! I took a photo of Quinn down to one of my sons because I knew he'd love him too, which he did.Then dear son sends me a message later on that evening just to confirm how cute Quinn is, but wouldn't he need a little pal? Oh my good night!!! Divorce papers here we come! LOL
But guess what? I take the chance. I phone Dee and leave a message on her voice mail to say I will have the little piebald pony too. So the little fellow, now called Levi, becomes my son's early birthday present.
And I just keep on making hubby's favourite meals!! haha!

 

Quinn and Levi with the sheep behind them

I hired a local chap to come with me to pick up the three new members of my fleecy, furry family. For the purpose of this blog he'll be known as 'Horse Box Harry'! Now Harry's a fine fellow and as we would say here in Shetland, 'very moderate' so I was happy enough to go with him in his vehicle to pick up the animals. What we maybe didn't realize was, it wasn't going to be as easy as we thought to get all three in the horse box. If you think about it, there were eight fast hooves, two sets of Esther Rantzen teeth and a set of horns that could certainly have you buying a new pair of jeans, never mind act as an enema!

After a 'haven't seen you for a while Harry' handshake and a little bit of reminiscing, Harry and Dee began the job of trying to catch the two ponies to get them in the box. The ram went in fine I'm glad to say and Harry closed his space off from what would be the ponies' space. 

I was all fired up. Clothed to perfection for such a mucky but exciting job. Quinn had been fine with me the last time I'd seen him so I took hold of his rope while Horse Box Harry tried to coax the two ponies in. They were having none of it. I let go the rope for a moment as I realized he was going to try to corner them in a small space so he could grab their head collars and try to lead them that way. As Quinn escaped the enclosure he had got them into I grabbed his rope again, hoping I'd be able to be of some help. It was then that  Quinn got spooked and set off round the bigger enclosure, pulling me completely off my feet and before I could say 'The Mighty Quinn', I was face down on the sharp gravel in a huge amount of pain! I have very bad knees anyway but they had taken the worst of the fall and I really thought they were fractured. I lay face down in the gravel for a minute, then slowly tried to roll onto my back. Being a little bit stunned I didn't realize that as I was turning over, one of my feet was heading right into a bucket of water!

"Let's get you up", Dee said, and started hauling my anxious bulk skywards!

"Are you ok?" she asked, and I could see the smile breaking on her face. Dee has an immense sense of humour which completely cracks me up, all the more so because she doesn't realize how funny she is.

"I'll be fine", I offered weakly, then much louder stated, "Quinn didn't do that when I was on my own with him!!"

Dee told me a few days later that she was laughing inside when I said that. There I was, just recovering from a nasty splat on sharp gravel and all I wanted to do was stick up for the pony who pulled me over!

Of course! I love him!

Well, we finally all got to our own homes that night, some of us sorer than others, but all still in one piece. I was relieved to be in my soft comfy bed, but a little bemused the next morning when I saw the pattern of primary colours spreading over my knees and down my legs. They're now at the lilac and lime stage! Very attractive indeed. 

I'll finish this post with the little song that went through my head that night as I lay in bed.........

There were three in the truck

and the little one bucked!

"Move over....move over............"

Hope you'll join me next time.

Kate

IT STARTED WITH A RAM..........

If you'd told me a few weeks ago that I was soon to be the very proud owner of a beautiful chestnut and white skewbald colt I'd have laughed out loud! (And those of you who really know me will realize that the emphasis there would have been on the word LOUD!)
I've always been 'out of my wits' for Shetland ponies, ever since I was eight months pregnant with my first son. I went for a walk one Sunday afternoon, and, seeing as there was a chill in the air, I put on my duffle coat. I saw the ponies approach the fence not far from the house so imagined they'd be friendly enough.
A point to note here:not all Shetland ponies that LOOK sweet ARE sweet!!
I got to the fence , but must have got a little too close because the next thing I knew was the darned animal had hold of the corner of my duffle coat and was trying to pull me over the fence! Looking back now, about 38 years later, it was rather humorous. There was I, 8 months pregnant, looking like a gable end with a large conservatory, and here's this determined equine hauling me for all it's worth over a fence, badly in need of repair.
I think by the end of it, it was ME who was badly in need of repair, both physically and emotionally!
So that was my first horrible encounter with a Shetland pony and I never thought that at any time in my life a little one would come along and totally steal my heart!

As I wrote in the heading to this post, 'it started with a ram'. I had gone to someone's house (I'll call her Dee) to look at a ram she thought I may be interested in for my flock. As it turned out, he was indeed exactly what I was looking for and I said right away I would have him. Then she asked if I'd like to see the ponies. There were four altogether and I was not wearing a duffle coat!  Oh yes, I'd love to see the ponies haha!! GULP!
It seemed to be the biggest one that kept  walking towards me and showing an interest in my pockets, which as always had ewe nuts in them. I was a little freaked but Dee said he'd be fine, he was a gentle colt and I wasn't to be afraid. Well, funnily enough, he came and stood beside me and I tentatively stroked his forehead. She encouraged me to put a little more pressure on and not keep taking my hand away. (Yes, I'd seen it's teeth, I was not afraid!! Hah ) So that's what I did. And little by little that little pony (who I only IMAGINED was the biggest one there), kept coming and standing next to me. If any of the other ponies came around me, this one would push them away and allow me to stroke him again.
"He's never been like this with anyone else", Dee said."In fact he's more likely to go away if anyone comes around and tries to gain his attention."
"But I've never really liked Shetland ponies in the past", I said. "Why would he choose me?"
"You're a very peaceable person", she answered. "Ponies need to feel that peace or they get flighty."
I have to say at this point, I was also feeling a peace with this little guy. But it seemed so bizarre to have come for a ram and fall in love with a furry little pony. And yet I knew it was right and I told her I would have him as well and his name would be Quinn.I went home that night and couldn't stop thinking of him. I must have lain awake half the night just thinking of things we would do together. The fun we'd have in the summer. The little tricks I would try to teach him.
The other half of the night was spent wondering how on earth I was going to break the news to my long-suffering husband.

Next time I'll tell you about getting Quinn home...........with his little pal!! And it wasn't the ram!

Kate